5-year-old boy attacked, mauled by pit bull

June 12, 2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

By: Leanne Suter

NEWHALL, Calif. --

Witnesses say five-year-old Jose Sadino never had a chance. They say the pit bull was crazed and attacked with a vengeance, severely mauling the boys head."All we saw was dog going for his head," the victim's friend Anela Flores said. "And then the dog started pulling out his hair."

The attack happened around 6:45 p.m. in the middle of a large Newhall apartment complex full of kids.

"The dog jumped out of the window, started biting everybody and then went for the little boy," Flores said.

The boy's mother ran outside as she heard her son screaming. Witnesses say she threw herself on top of her son to try and save him from the pit bull. With the help of neighbors, the pit bull was finally scared away.

"The sheriffs came in around the corner," witness Steven Rodriguez said. "They drew their guns on the pit bull and the pit bull jumped over the balcony and then finally they apprehended him and they had him in the back seat of the sheriffs car, but it was already too late."

The pit bull is in the custody of animal control and will most likely be put down and there is no word on whether the owner will face any criminal charges.

Jose Sadino is in critical condition but his family says he is expected to survive.